Mudzi West Constituency lawmaker Knowledge Kaitano has called on the government to urgently increase funding to address Zimbabwe’s deteriorating road infrastructure, which he says is suffering from a growing maintenance backlog.
Speaking during a post-budget recommendations session in Parliament, Kaitano stressed that much of the country’s road network has surpassed its design life and requires immediate rehabilitation and construction efforts.
The MP criticized the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development for receiving only 2.5% of the national budget, equating to approximately 5.186 billion ZWL. He described this allocation as insufficient, far below the ideal 66.694 billion ZWL needed to address the country’s infrastructure deficit.
“This allocation is too low, Madam Speaker, given the current infrastructure deficit in the country and the fact that transport is a key enabler of economic activity,” Kaitano said, emphasizing the vital role of roads in boosting economic growth.
Kaitano also raised concerns about delays in road maintenance, inadequate funding for capital projects, delayed contractor payments, and the country’s ongoing shortage of skilled personnel. Additionally, he pointed to the low levels of support from international development partners as a further barrier to addressing the crisis.
The MP also criticized the inadequate budget allocation for CMED (Central Mechanical and Equipment Department), which was earmarked for purchasing service vehicles. He recommended increasing CMED’s budget, noting that the department is currently owed USD 32 million by government entities.
Zimbabwe’s road network spans about 98,049 kilometers, with 81% of roads categorized as tertiary feeder and access roads. Despite this, road quality remains a major issue, with the country’s average road quality score of 2.8 points well below the global average of 4.07. The country also faces a severe road safety crisis, with an estimated 2,000 fatalities annually, although some estimates suggest the number could be as high as 7,000.
